


Christmas Drabbles

by greekowl87



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Christmas, Drabbles, F/M, MSR, Tumblr Prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-10 07:45:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12907368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greekowl87/pseuds/greekowl87
Summary: A collection of drabbles written for The X-mas Files Creative Challenge on Tumblr.





	1. Wreath

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Termite the Wreath
> 
> A piece of fifteen flash fiction written for December 2nd ‘Wreath.'

“How bad was the damage?” Mulder asked as he flopped beside Scully on her couch.

“Hm.” Scully set down her glass of wine and adjusted her position to accompany him. “The pest control came out to mom’s.”

“Really?”

“Her house did not have termites for years and all of a sudden when you bring one those naturally made wreaths from the side of the road.”

“To be fair, he was selling those little wooden reindeer. I could have gotten her a mini family but I was planning on getting that for you.”

“Oh yes, those would look great outside my apartment door. You know the neighborhood kids come by and tease me now? They’ll start saying the wooden little reindeer come alive at night and hunger for human flesh.”

He pulled back his head abruptly. “Why on Earth would they do that?”

“Kidding Mulder,” she admonished before turning serious. “But mom is seriously mad at you and accuses you of the termites you brought in on the Christmas wreath you gave her last week. She is expecting you to pay for everything.”

“Really?” He sighed, resting his head on her shoulder. “Great, another Scully to hate me. At least I got you.”

“You always got me.” She smiled, kissed his hair, and raked her nails affectionately through his scalp. 

“Kidding again. But she still blames you. Let’s settle for a pie and some wine when we go over for Christmas dinner, okay? We’ll leave the aliens and termites at home.”

“Great,” he smiled slightly, looking up. “Because I can’t wait for you to see the alien and ufo Christmas tree ornaments I got for your tree.”


	2. Sweaters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: Ugly Christmas Party
> 
> This was inspired by a photo someone made of Mulder and Scully wearing holiday sweaters, Scully’s had Bigfoot, and I have no idea who to credit, but this inspired this fic. If you know what I am talking about, please let me know who made it so I can give credit. Thanks! 
> 
> I could have probably have done so much more with this but after sitting in the library for nine hours today and working on a research paper, my mind barely functions and I was lucky enough to get this written. Thanks for reading

The emergence of Mulder and Scully from the basement office was not an unusual event, especially when their boss, AD Skinner summoned them to his office without telling them why. 

"Why do you think Skinner wants to see us," Mulder spoke softly into Scully's ear as they walked.

"I don't know, have you pissed him off for anything recently?" she teased.

"I hope not. Maybe it's a new case. We have been pretty dry lately."

"Maybe."

Kimberly, Skinner's sectary, smiled at them as they entered the office and told them. "The door is open. He is expecting you."

Mulder pushed open the door for Scully as she strolled in first. Skinner did not look up from his paperwork as his agents took their respective seats in the two chairs facing his executive desk. Skinner signed something and finally looked at Mulder and Scully, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. "You're probably wondering why I called you here this afternoon," he said.

"Not particularly, sir," Mulder replied, glancing at Scully.

"I have a favor to ask of you two." Skinner sighed. "I have been roped into throwing a holiday part with my sister and brother-in-law coming into town this weekend. An ugly sweater party I think they called it. As I," he shifted uncomfortably before continuing, "don't have many work acquaintances, I need you both to come. I have already invited a few Core buddies and my sister has friends. But I need some guests from the FBI."

"Is that a request, sir or an order," Scully asked.

"An order. Saturday night, 8 o'clock. Bring your alcoholic beverages and something to share," he said.

"Is that all?" Mulder asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Did you have something to tell me, Mulder?"

"No, sir.

"Then dismissed."

He went back to work and the agents, casting quizzical glances at one another, left without saying another word. When the got back to the basement office and they looked at each other. "I guess we got to go sweater shopping, Mulder."

. . . .

They lingered in her car together, taking measure of the ugly sweaters they had bought each other. Scully glanced at Mulder and then grimaced as she looked down at the blue and white snow inspired Bigfoot outline. "Why did you get me Bigfoot, Mulder? Could you think of nothing else? Where on Earth did you ever find it?"

"It's a yeti technically, Scully and I could ask you the same." He looked down at his green and white sweater where the periodic symbols of elements formed in shape of a Christmas tree proclaiming 'It's a Chemistree!' "Science. Really?"

She chuckled and said, "It seems fitting, doesn't it? I mean, since we are involved now, you could say it's a couple's outfit. Maybe we should do a Christmas card to?"

"We haven't exactly gone proclaiming to the world," he murmured. "Skinner must suspect something."

"As far as he knows, we're partners, nothing more. Now, did you bring the bottle of vodka?"

"Did you bring the green bean casserole?"

They both grinned at each other and got out of the car and took the elevator to Skinner's Crystal City apartment. By the time they stepped off and into the hallway, the party was already in full swing. They could hear laughter and music from the closed apartment door. "Look's like we have the right place," Mulder murmured, nudging Scully to go first.

As they stood in front of the door, Scully raised her hand to knock, balancing the casserole with her other hand. A light knock and Skinner opened the door widely and with sudden gusto. "Mulder! Scully! I'm glad you could make it! I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show."

Scully smirked noticing Skinner's own ugly Christmas sweater, a gingerbread man holding a candy cane with the words 'Let's get baked!' beneath it. "Nice sweater, sir," she managed.

"I could say the same for you both, very...you," he chuckled. "Come in, come in, let me introduce you to everyone!"

He ushered them into a chaotic Christmas party with a huge group of people and children weaving in and out of the adults with laughter. Skinner took the casserole and the bottle of vodka and nudged them to his sister and her husband, who introduced themselves. "I'm Charlotte," the older woman said, who looked like a very feminine version of Skinner, "and this is my husband Robert."

"Dana," Scully supplied, holding out her hand. "This is Fox."

"Pleasure," Mulder smiled. "I'm sorry, but you and AD Skinner look awfully alike."

"Twins," Charlotte laughed. "I'm the older one of course. Please feel free to have fun. We have a contest for the ugliest Christmas sweater, however, should we count you two together or separate?"

"We come as a package," Mulder answered, wrapping his arm slightly around Scully's waist, "isn't that right, Scully?"

"That's right," she grounded out, panic rising in her chest as Mulder's intimate display. She tried to pull away, in case Skinner saw them but Mulder only held tighter to his side. "A package. Two peas in a pod."

"Lovely. Don't forget to vote. Well, I must see to the others, feel free to give me a shout and enjoy yourselves."

Skinner's sister left them and Scully glanced sharply up at Mulder. "What the hell?" she hissed.

"Skinner's drunk, as is everyone here, he won't mind or notice. Come on, let's make like normal people and mingle."

She bit her lip and forced herself not to reply. The hours passed, eventually striking midnight, with the party showing no signs of slowing down. Mulder and Scully found themselves loosening up and actually having fun. By midnight, Skinner was clinking a beer bottle down on a table, calling for attention. 

"First off, I want to thank everyone for coming. First off, Charlotte, despite you being my older sister, I'm still the best looking in between us," he called, laughing.

"Well, baldness must be the ticket," she called back.

"Must be. Secondly, to my buddies from the Core for inspiring my sweater," he continued, clearly intoxicated. "We remember those marvelous nights in Da Nang smoking that good stuff."

"Hoo-rah, Mr. Clean," one of the older men wearing a Vietnam Veterans hat called.

"Mr. Clean," Scully whispered into Mulder's arm, amused. 

"Better than Skinman," he answered.

"I would also like to thank two of my agents for coming," he indicated to Mulder and Scully. "As much as you make me lose what remains of my hair, Mulder, I still have the best agents in the FBI with you and Scully."

"Thanks, Mr. Clean," Mulder called back, saluting with his beer.

The group chuckled and Skinner answered with mock severity, trying not to laugh, "Monday, 10am, my office, Mulder."

"Yes, sir." 

"Lastly, I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hunkunah, and Happy Holidays. It would not mean a thing to mean if it weren't for you all." Skinner raised his drink to toast as the room mirrored his actions. "Cheers!"

"Cheers," everyone echoed.

Scully had melted to Mulder's side affectionately and looked up and stole a kiss. "Merry Christmas, Mulder."

"Merry Christmas, Scully."

"Walter, don't forget to announce the winners of the sweater contest."

"Oh, right. Did you already tally the votes?"

"Shit, no." She looked around, rushed. "I can't find them, Walter!"

"Forget about it," Skinner shouted. "Everyone, let's continue to have fun!"

Scully nuzzled Mulder's chest. "Well," she sighed softly. "I think you have the best sweater."

"Well, what can I say, my partner has impeccable taste."

She smiled. "You wanna get out of her and head back to my place? Brunch tomorrow?"

"Sounds good. Let's get out of here."


	3. Wrapping Paper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, my brain is mush. I wrote about the historical eyewitness accounts of the lost colony of Ronoake Island involving trauma theory from a new historicist perspective for ten hours. I didn’t even finish my damn paper today. I want something fun. Sorry if it is crap.
> 
> Pure 30-minute word vomit from today’s @thexmasfileschallenge December 9 ‘Wrapping Paper.’ At least I hope the prompt is wrapping paper.

Screw her perfectionism. Seriously, Scully wondered if she was still a type A personality or a type B personality since she had begun working with Mulder a little over a year ago. True, she had grown laxer in her expectations but her drive and need to find answers had not wavered. Which is why she sat crossed-legged in front of her coffee table debating how to wrap this Christmas present for her first official FBI partner.

She knew he hated Christmas. The constant dismissals about family obligations and being the lone martyr were implication enough but still. She wanted to do something. Scully’s favorite part of Christmas had always been about the gifts. She liked getting gifts, but she loved giving gifts even more. Which is why she had put so much time and effort into this gift for Mulder. A replica 1:32 scale model of the UFO that supposedly crashed at Rosewell, New Mexico back in 1947. In her limited spare time, she attempted to assemble the plastic model with an Exacto knife and liquid cement, even pulling out her artistic side and trying to spray paint a decorative gray metallic shine with Missy’s help. It came out decent. But the problem remained: how the hell was she going to wrap it? All her pathology skills of slicing, dicing, and sewing could not save her from the horrid job of wrapping this monstrous model.

Scully suddenly heard her hard lock bolt turning and her partner calling out, “Scully? It’s me. I brought Chinese. I was hoping we could talk about your whole theory of will-o-wisps.”

This new intimacy with him having a key to her apartment was new after what happened with Duane Berry but she really wasn’t surprised he would stroll in without warning after his notorious habit of calling her at all hours of the night.

Scully did not have time to hide the model as he tumbled in with the bag of Chinese food and smiling as he saw her with the UFO model in front of her. “Scully,” he teased, “I didn’t know you believed.”

“It’s a Christmas present for my nephew. Apparently, tales of your exploits travel. Help me wrap?”

He could never refuse her. He placed their Chinese food around the model UFO like an invading force as he became the attentive lab assistant listening to Dr. Scully’s precise directions of wrapping their project together and wielding the scissors and Exacto knife with ease. Mulder took a bit of the egg roll and smiled at his young partner. “Good team building exercise if I do say so myself.”

“Hmph.” She snorted. “Well, you better unwrap it now.”

“Why?” he blanched. “After all that work.”

“Merry Christmas,” she sniggered. “I built it myself.”

Carefully, he peeled away his careful wrapping paperwork and admired the model. “You…you did this? You built this?”

“A little rough around the edges but yeah. The first model I have ever done. Do you like it?”

Mulder smiled and nodded. “I can’t wait to put it in our office?”

“It’s our office now?”

“Of course,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Can I have my own desk?” she challenged.

“We could always share,” he teased. “The UFO model could show it’s both of ours.”


End file.
